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Daniel sat at one of the local clubs in Boystown with a couple of his gay friends. The room glowed with neon lights and pulsed with loud music. Tonight he was content to sit and observe, the week’s caseload still weighing heavy on his shoulders. He rubbed his temples, nursing a beer while trying to convince himself that he was going to have to stop going out Sundays; he wasn’t in college anymore. Tomorrow morning, he would be dragging in court. His friend Ty kept attempting to engage him, but Daniel was too tired to hold a conversation over the noise. He stood, intending to beg forgiveness for an early departure from his buddies, but as he turned, he bumped into someone solid. Stumbling to the side a few steps, he spun around to apologize, almost tripping over the man again.

“I’m sorry, Sir.” Daniel fumbled with some napkins at the bar when he saw he had spilled the man’s drink all down his shirt. He started to pat the guy down, cursing himself, adding this to all the other reasons why he shouldn’t be out this late on a work night. The man grabbed his wrist, and moved it aside, yet didn’t let go. Daniel couldn’t stop his eyes from traveling down the tight black tank top that stuck to the man’s abs because of the liquid, and they didn’t stop there. His eyes kept their path all the way to the bulge in the man’s leather pants.

“See something you like, boy?” He spoke with a faint Latin accent.

Daniel wet his lips at the sound of the accent. It made him more attractive. Daniel’s eyes flicked up to meet the man’s green gaze, an unusual hue for his latin coloring “No… Yes… I’m sorry, where are my manners? Can I buy you a new drink and pay for your dry cleaning?”

“I’d much rather buy you a drink. The way you said sir had a certain ring to it.” As he stared, so did Daniel. The man had a chiseled nose, a suave five o’clock shadow on his stern jaw, and jade green eyes to complete the package. Daniel didn’t move when he took a step closer. He was tall. with muscles that he looked like he’d earned, not the kind his best friend put on with hours at the gym.

“Rafael.” He held him there with an air of authority about him, which was much different than the type of bottom Daniel normally picked up.

“Daniel, and I would love a drink.” He could feel the eyes of his buddies at the table boring into his back, as well as sizing up the man. All thoughts of ditching out early gone, he followed Rafael to the bar and watched as the man ordered them both drinks.

Daniel found it weird, but he claimed a stool and took a seat. When the drinks came, the other man paid but remained standing, handing over a gin and tonic.

“Thank you.” Daniel brought the beverage to his lips. The comment he had made about the ‘Sir’ thing stuck with him. Wasn’t that some sort of kink thing?

“No, thank you,” he raised his brows as he said ‘you’ and smirked a little, “for being clumsy. This is the best turn my night could have taken.” He was so straight forward. There was none of the usual dancing around attraction that was the norm for first meetings. Rafael mirrored him and took a long pull from his glass as his eyes roamed over Daniel, making him shift in his seat.

Daniel leaned forward, adjusting himself unabashedly. “I insist you let me pay for the dry cleaning.” Maybe he would get a number out of this, and he could convince himself that his drowsiness in court tomorrow had been well-earned.

“Come here often?”

He shook his head. “Once a week or so when my friends drag me out. I prefer the low key places. What about you?”

The man set aside his glass before he answered. “On occasion; I mostly keep to Amenti.”

He knit his brow. “Never heard of it.”

“Most haven’t, but that tells me a lot about you.”

He pushed his tongue into his cheek and narrowed his eyes, calling the man’s bluff. “What does it tell you about me?”

“One, that you haven’t been exposed to kink.” He wore a bemused smile like he knew something he wasn’t telling Daniel.

“Haven’t we all played a little with spankings and tying partners up with ties?” Daniel also set his half empty drink aside.

“No, and I’m shocked to hear you have. Enjoy it?”

His lips curled up at the corners. “I wear a tie for my day job, but there’s nothing hotter than playing with the silk after a long day.”

Raf lifted one brow. “A business man, hmm?” The words rolled off his tongue in his exotic accent, and Daniel knew he would go home with him right then.

“I was thinking of tying you up with my tie.” He couldn’t believe the things that were coming out of his mouth. Maybe he had more to drink than he remembered.

“I think you’d prefer if it were the other way around.” Rafael met his eyes; Daniel knew it was true.

“I don’t bottom for most people.”

“Well I’m not most people.”

Daniel barely stopped the groan that threatened to leave his lips. “I can see that.”

He saw Rafael check his watch then pick up his drink and down it, a clear sign that he was looking to bail. Shit.

He grabbed his wallet and pulled out a card. “Give me a call sometime. I owe you at least for the dry cleaning.”

Rafael leaned forward and pushed the card back towards his chest. “Why don’t you come home with me, and I’ll let you clean it yourself.” He was smooth, fluid with his words, and Daniel liked his confidence.

He knew he couldn’t have heard him right, so he took another sip and pushed himself closer, Rafael’s cologne filling his senses. “It’s really loud in here. I can barely hear you.”

He couldn’t believe he was thinking of going home with this guy to bottom. Did someone drug him because clearly he was out of his mind. He had only let his ex fuck him because he threw a tantrum, and he hadn’t enjoy it.

Rafael’s eyes danced playfully, and his lips turned up into a grin that spelled mischief as he leaned closer to his ear. “You can barely hear me, or you’re pretending I didn’t say what I did?”

Daniel’s knees went weak as Rafael’s words brushed over his skin. “A little bit of both,” he admitted, dropping his voice.

“What do you do for a living, Daniel?” Rafael scooted a stool next to him and sat, resting his forearm against Daniel’s on the bar, leaving almost no space between them.

“I’m a lawyer, a city public defender.” He didn’t mind the contact. In fact, he wanted it but couldn’t believe he was considering another one night stand. He had sworn them off a long time ago.

“I thought so.” Rafael drummed his fingers on the table but didn’t move away. “I could smell it on you.”

“Not a fan of lawyers?” He balanced his feet on the rung of the stool, looking from Rafael’s fingers back to his face. “What do you do?”

“I manage a club not too far from here.” Rafael crossed ankle over knee, turning to face him more. “No, I’m very fond of powerful men by day who like to give that up at night.”

He tilted his head and considered Rafael’s statement. The wheels in his head spun, but he didn’t quite know how to get him to clarify. Maybe he had been more serious about the kink than Daniel thought. Instead, he went for the obvious. “Would I know it?” Daniel did like new places to hang out. The gay bars had too many familiar faces these days.

“You said you didn’t.” Rafael blatantly moved his foot to a rung on Daniel’s stool, placing his knee between Daniel’s. “And I’ve never seen you there.”

“I’m not opposed; I’ll try anything once.” His words came out less smooth than he was going for.

“Is that so?” Rafael went even further, placing his hand on Daniel’s leg. “I wouldn’t mind showing you some.”

“I’m not good at giving up control.” He laughed and searched the man’s face, trying not to focus on Rafael’s hand moving up his thigh. He bit his lip, stifling another groan.

“Maybe that’s because you’ve never been shown how.” His eyes never left Daniel’s as he pushed further— further than he’d expected.

Images of being tied up with Rafael hovering over him filled his mind. Staring into the man’s gaze, he questioned himself, but he didn’t have to; he wanted this.

Daniel sipped at the drink he was nursing before answering. “Maybe, but what’s the draw to it?”

“For men like yourself, it’s a way to de-stress and let go of all the control you wield during the day.” Rafael squeezed his thigh, then released his leg.

He had to admit, when explained that way, the idea sounded intriguing. He hadn’t had an interesting fuck in a year, and he knew the basics because he’d read gay fiction. “Maybe I’ll have to check out your club. What’s the name of it, again?”

“I was thinking of giving you a personal lesson.” Rafael’s lips formed into a coy smile that made Daniel want to take him up on the offer.

“I swore off one night stands…” He smoothed his hands over his pants, not making eye contact, and regretted the words as soon as they left his lips.

Rafael leaned forward until his lips touched Daniel’s ear, and his hot breath fanned over his cheek. “If I ordered you to come home with me, would you?” He smelled of coffee and leather.

Daniel swallowed hard.

A shiver ran down his spine, and his body reacted for him. “Yes, Sir.” He repeated the Sir, since the man had said he liked it earlier, and it seemed like the thing to call him. He certainly wasn’t going to go with daddy. He smiled, sitting back to see the heat it put in the other man’s eyes.

“Good boy. Follow.” Rafael set his drink on the bar and turned to cut a path through the crowd. People fell all over themselves to get out of his way, and Daniel followed on his heel.

Daniel pulled his coat tight around his body when they stepped into the wind. Chicago was well known for its bite when the leaves started turning. Rafael’s hand slid across Daniel’s hip to the small of his back, leading him. The gesture was strangely comforting even through his thick wool coat.

Daniel had a million questions but none of which he could put into words. Rafael pulled open a gate in front of a brick row house. It was nicer than where Daniel lived even though he was only a few miles away. The north side of the city was expensive, and being this close to the Cubs stadium drove the prices way up.

“Beautiful place.” He got an architectural hard on as he climbed the stairs. It was light stone-colored brick; that was the style of the area. It had a large porch at the front, and it was very well-maintained on a street where the trees met in the middle of the road, providing a good amount of shade.

Rafael slid his key into the lock and pushed open the door, holding it open. Daniel stepped inside and drank in the dark modern furniture that created beautiful angles against the warm interior.

“Care for something to drink?” Rafael helped him slide out of his coat and hung it in the closet.

“Please.” He loosened his tie and flipped open the top button of his shirt.

He returned a moment later with two stem-less wine glasses. Daniel already had a good buzz going from drinking on an empty stomach. His gut flipped as he took a seat, and the other man took the seat next to him. Rafael took a gulp from his glass before abandoning it on the table.

Daniel kept his drink close to his chest like a safety barrier between them. Images of his last failure of a hook up flashed through his mind; the man drunkenly passed out while Daniel’s lips were around his cock. He gulped some of his wine trying to forget the humiliation.

“Nervous?” Rafael adjusted his seat, bumping their knees.

“No. I’ve had bad luck with one night stands…” He watched the other man handle himself. “I couldn’t take anymore blows to my ego by drunken frat boys,” he admitted after Rafael gave him a questioning look.

“You mentioned. Why did you come home with me?” Rafael’s eyes seemed to bore through him.

He looked away from the stare, gazing around the room, seeing Rafael’s crisp modern style. Even the books on the shelves were perfectly lined.

Daniel found he couldn’t lie. “You ordered me to.” He lifted one shoulder. “And you said yourself you’re not the usual.”

A smile curled over Rafael’s lips. “Put your wine on the coffee table.”

He did as he was told.

“Good boy.”

Daniel’s chest swelled with the praise; there was something so fulfilling about the compliments from him.

Rafael’s hand snapped out, gripping him by the neck, and dragging him closer. It didn’t hurt him, but it was possessive. Daniel’s cock stood at full attention in an instant, the thin material of his designer slacks leaving nothing to the imagination.

“You like that, don’t you?”

“God, yes…” he started, but Rafael cut him off with his mouth.

The kiss was claiming and all consuming. Daniel gave in to him as Rafael’s tongue pushed at his lips, which willingly parted for it. Rafael bit down on his lip causing it to swell and bleed, but Daniel only moaned into his mouth, which seemed to egg Rafael on. He flipped open the buttons on his shirt, and warm hands met his skin. Rafael’s fingers pushed up and over his abs and found his nipples. He could only react, groans building deep in his throat while his body heated up like it never had before.

Answer this question in the comments below: What would you like to see more of in the next book?

Evernight will chose the winner from the comments. Be sure to leave the answer and your email address to be eligible to win a prize. Each comment gives you an entry for the grand prize (one per blog hop stop).

Extra entry when you Vote for Rafael: If he wins I’ll post the rest of the deleted scene.

Special thanks to those who edited for me: Jen, Sally and Karen!

Special thanks as well for the amazing art done by Tatsu Graphics and Sally!

When not staying up all night writing, J.R Gray can be found basking in the warm glow of the Miami sun, or at the gym where it's half assumed Gray is a permanent resident. A dominant, pilot, and sword fighting enthusiast, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. Gray frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns, to jot down nonsense. The bane of Gray's existence are commas, and even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder.
If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The build up of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave or possibly a mental institution where the tales would end up on the walls in crayon and finger paint.